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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29597895">The Raven's Curse</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/FiredUpAuthor/pseuds/FiredUpAuthor'>FiredUpAuthor</a>, <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/minnieears/pseuds/minnieears'>minnieears</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Curses of Almer [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bounty Hunters, Curses, F/M, How Do I Tag, Magic, Making this up as I go along, i can't tag, more tags will be added</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 01:55:49</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,929</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29597895</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/FiredUpAuthor/pseuds/FiredUpAuthor, https://archiveofourown.org/users/minnieears/pseuds/minnieears</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Siblings Kris and Keeley are on their way to collect the biggest bounty of their lives. Big enough to set them up for life. But as they arrive on the planet where their bounty is living, things quickly take a turn for the strange. </p><p>(I can't write a summary, please read!)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Original Male Character/Original Female Character</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Curses of Almer [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2174505</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Raven's Curse</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>This was it! This bounty was all they needed to be set for life! If they nabbed this bounty then they would be set for life! Kris finished putting in the coordinates for Solas. He would finally have enough money to take care of his sister, Keeley.</p><p>They had been traveling for a long time to get here. When they touched down, Keeley squealed with joy at the beautiful planet. Kris did have to admit it was beautiful, and he enjoyed watching her run around the brightly colored field full of flowers. Kris sat on the ramp of their ship, watching her play. She was only fourteen, it was nice to see her so relaxed. The sun felt warm on his face, so much different from the darkness of space. He hoped that they could find this bounty! Apparently, it was to retrieve some high-ranking Almer woman, that had gone missing several years ago. Honestly, he hadn’t paid too much attention to the description, he had seen the price tag and took it.</p><p>A gentle breeze took up, this place was nice. He could see why this woman came here. It seemed like a paradise. He took out the tracker he got for this bounty, it was beeping rapidly. That was good, it meant they were getting close. She wasn’t going anywhere, they had time for Keeley to play some more, and it was beautiful.</p><p>“Kris, look!” Keeley called, showing him the flowers she had picked.</p><p>“Their beautiful, Sister.”</p><p>“I’m going to put them in my room! Then we can go!”</p><p>“No rush. I don’t think she’s going anywhere.”</p><p>“What’s her name again?”</p><p>Kris shrugged. “I didn’t look.”</p><p>Keeley rolled her amber eyes.</p><p>“You could at least have the respect to know her name.”</p><p>Kris shrugged again.</p><p>Keeley ran back into their ship to store her flowers, before coming back, smiling back down at her older brother. Kris smiled back at her, before standing up, towering over her. He mussed her short green hair. She slapped his hand away, and marched off, fixing her hair. Kris chuckled at her, before following her, his hands in his pockets. After a while of walking, Kris took out the tracker, leading them in the direction of the bounty.</p><p>They wandered through the woods for a while, he didn’t know how long they walked, but they were slowly getting closer. It was strange, usually, there would be <em>some </em>movement, but this thing wasn’t registering any. It was strange. Maybe she was sleeping? That was the only thing he could think of. But, it was the middle of the day.</p><p>After some time, they came to a cave, not a house, as Kris had thought. Keeley took out her flashlight, as did Kris, as they ventured into the dark cave. The atmosphere instantly changed from the warm, friendly atmosphere from when they first arrived was replaced by a cold, friendly, hostile feel. Whatever was here, didn’t want them. It wanted them to leave.</p><p>“Why would she live here?” Keeley asked, barely above a whisper.</p><p>“I don’t know,” he replied in equally quiet volume.</p><p>After a few minutes of walking, a sound of dripping water met their ears, and strange, glowing branches began appearing. The branches began pulsing with deep purple energy. The further they went, the more oppressive the place became.</p><p>“Brother, I don’t like this. Let’s go back,” Keeley whimpered.</p><p>“No. Not when we’re this close. We could live like royalty, Keeley. No more going hungry or cold.”</p><p>Keeley said nothing, so Kris continued on. Trying to ignore the cold feelings telling him to run. Telling him that he shouldn’t be here. At this point their ankles were surrounded by water, or, what Kris hoped was water. Finally, they came to a large old stone door, the branches surrounded this door, this didn’t seem right. The feeling coming from this door was… evil. So evil that Kris had to fight the urge to turn around and leave. No, if they got this bounty, then they would never have to go on another bounty hunt again!</p><p>Kris began to push at the door, with Keeley coming to help. It was heavy, and it felt like the door was resisting them. But, it was only a door, right? Both Kris and Keeley heaved the door open, with Keeley nearly falling from the give. Kris caught her by the arm before she could fall.</p><p>There were steps leading up into a long stone hallway, with arches every few feet and more branches running all along the room, which led to another stone door. This place felt old and evil. Whatever was behind that door didn’t want them here.</p><p>“Kris,” Keeley whimpered, tugging on his arm, “please let’s go! We don’t need this.”</p><p>“No, Keeley. We’ve come too far to turn back now!”</p><p>With that, Kris marched towards the second stone door, pushing it open. The door swung open easily. It was a wide circular room, a large black tree growing on the other side of the room, it had no leaves and was glowing the deep purple as, what he now thought were roots and not branches. The room had two levels, with the tree reaching the ceiling. Arched pillars circled the entire room. Bones scattered across the ground. And in the very center of the room was what appeared to be a chained-up person. Though, Kris couldn’t see who or what it was, as the person had their pitch-black wings encasing them.</p><p>“Who is that?” Keeley asked, peering around him.</p><p>Kris stared down at the tracker which indicated that <em>this </em>was the bounty.</p><p>“Does she even know that we’re here?” Keeley asked creeping around the edge of the room to get a better look at the creature.</p><p>“How do you know it’s a woman?”</p><p>Keeley gazed at the avian woman, standing on her tiptoes, and craning her head to get a better look.</p><p>“She’s curled up, she’s easily a woman. She’s got her eyes closed, too.”</p><p>“What does she look like?”</p><p>“Long white hair, grayish skin… that’s really all I can tell. Why is she chained up like that?”</p><p>“Does it matter? She’ll be easier to secure now.”</p><p>“Must you be so heartless, Kris?”</p><p>Kris didn’t answer. Instead, pocketing the tracker, and began to walk towards the woman, when something in the room changed. A wave of what Kris could only describe as evil and hate ran through the room, and it became so cold that they could see their breath, and a black mist began to roll through the chamber. Not only that, but the woman seemed to become more aware of her surroundings, as her eyes snapped open, at the same time her wings opened a slight amount. Enough to give Kris a good look at her pitch-black eyes, there was no white in her eyes. Black veins wrapped all around her face, and she started growling this deep, guttural growl. It terrified him.</p><p>The woman slowly started uncurling herself. The chains around her snapping away like toothpicks. It was very clear this woman was an Avian, as her skin had a grayish tint to it, and black feather-covered her body. Her hands and feet took the shape of razor-sharp claws, ones that Kris was not eager to find out what they felt like. He and his sister turned to leave when the doors slammed shut. They pushed on the door with all their might, but it wouldn’t budge. Then, Kris felt cold fingers wrap around his throat, then he was flung backward, smashing into the dead tree, knocking all the wind out of him. He felt his vision go black, and his muscles screamed at him in protest, as he tried to stand.</p><p>When his vision came back, he found the Avian stalking towards his sister, who was pressed against the wall, terrified. Kris had to use the tree as support as he stood. He tried to shout at her to get her attention, but his voice refused to cooperate. Everything hurt, especially his back and head. The Avian raised her claws, and Kris charged at her, knocking her into the wall. It didn’t take her long to recover, she screamed so loud that it felt like his eardrums were going to burst.</p><p> Kris, with one hand still over his ear, reached for his blaster, took aim, and fired. The shot hit her in the shoulder, this only seemed to make her angrier. The Avian spread her huge wings and took to the sky, she blocked out all the light in the room, casting the siblings into darkness. Kris could feel a lump form in his throat. She opened her mouth to say something, but he couldn’t understand what she was saying.</p><p>Then the Avian dived, raising her claws ready to strike, but Kris rolled out of the way just in time. The ground cracked where she had brought her claws down. <em>I did not sign up for this, </em>Kris thought, as she turned her pitch-black eyes on him, baring her fang to him, growling deeply. She lumbered towards him, claws out. Kris took aim again, and fired, this time hitting her square in the head. The Avian stubbled a couple of feet, before shaking her head and roaring in fury.</p><p>“Oh, you’ve <em>got </em>to be kidding me!”</p><p>She lunged fer him, and this time he couldn’t get out of the way in time. She pinned him to the ground with one of her clawed feet. They dung painfully into his shoulders and torso. Kris tried to get her off him, but she seemed to be toying with him, as she towered over him. Letting him pry her off a few inches before slamming him back down. She growled at him, her wings beginning to spread, and Kris tried harder to get the Avian off him. He was finding it hard to breathe, as she was putting all her considerable weight on him.</p><p>She began to lower, getting ready to take flight when she was blasted off him. Kris instantly took a grateful breath of air, as all the weight was taking off him. Looking over, he found Keeley standing next to him, rage written all over her face.</p><p>“Stay away from my brother!”</p><p>The Avian screeched in response.</p><p>Keeley picked up one of the cracked stones and flung it at the Avian. It hit her square in the chest, making her crumble to the ground. But, like earlier, she got back up soon after, looking angrier than ever.  Keeley summoned another stone and threw it at her, hitting the Avian again.</p><p>“Brother, your bombs!”</p><p>“Right!”</p><p>Kris took one of his bombs off his belt, armed it, and threw it. The bomb exploded near the Avian, which sent her crashing into the wall, crumbling the pillar. Keeley picked up bits of the pillar and sent them crashing down on top of her. The Avian struggled to stand, panting heavily. She growled, spreading her wings again.</p><p>“Oh no, you don’t!” Keeley said. “Kris, throw another bomb! I think she’s tiring.”</p><p>“Right.”</p><p>Kris pulled another bomb out and lobbed it at her. It exploded and she screeched in protest. Keeley brought the rest of the fallen pillar down on her. Dust scattered the room. Kris pulled out his blaster, and cautiously approached, his sister following right behind him. He coughed as he waved away the dust and smoke. Instead of the Avian laying there, there was a young woman, around Kris’s age, with long black hair, tan skin, with freckles scattered across her face.</p>
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